Plumber&#39;s brush



L. J. BOHNE PLUMBER'S BRUSH Oct. 15, 1963 Filed April 19, 1962 V 0 I A N 8 M I rtf rflfi uwvflflnhhmmmm y 1 INVENTOR Le J Bohne BY%/ My? ATTORNE United States Patent Ofiice 3,106,738 Patented Oct. 15, 1963 3,105,738 PLUMBERS BRUSH Leo J. Eohne, 1777 W. Pleasant Valley Road, Par-ma 34, Ohio Filed Apr. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 188,826 1 Claim. (Ci. -184) The present invention relates to a plumbers brush and more particularly to a brush of this type having a sleeve which surrounds the stem of the brush and which may provide a finger grip when the sleeve is in one position and in which the sleeve is movable to a second position in which it covers and protects the bristles of the brush.

In certain work performed by plumbers, such as in joining a copper pipe to a copper pipe fitting, after cleaning the interior of the pipe fitting and the exterior of one end of a pipe, a plumbers brush is used for the application of a solder paste to the exterior of the cleaned end of the copper pipe and to the interior of the copper fitting into which the copper pipe is to be inserted to provide the joint. After the paste is applied to the exterior of the end of the pipe and to the interior of the fitting, the pipe is inserted into the fitting and solder and heat are applied to complete the joint. A plumbers brush is also utilized for applying a pipe-joint cement over the threaded end portion of an iron pipe after which the pipe is threaded to a fitting to form the joint.

Neither the solder paste which is used in providing a joint between the end portion of a cleaned copper pipe and to the interior of a cleaned copper fitting nor the pipe joint cement which is applied to the threads of one end of an iron pipe for insertion in an iron fitting set at ordinary temperature to form a hard mass and cons equent- 1y if the bristles of the brush are kept clean, the brush may be used an indefinite number of times.

After applying the solder paste to provide a copper joint or the pipe-joint cement to provide an iron joint, the plumber generally throws the brush into a utility box in which other tools, such as pipes or wrenches, are present and the bristles of the brushes which have been moistened with either the solder paste or pipe-joint cement becomes contaminated with filings, dirt, and other refuse. It is therefore necessary for the plumber to protect the bristles of the brush before the brush is thrown into the utility box or to clean the bristles before the brush is again used. Soft paper, such as toilet paper, may of course be used to protect the bristles of the brush but generally the plumber in his haste to complete his assignments either does not have the time, or does not take the time, to properly protect the bristles of the brush from the filing and other dirt and refuse that collects in the utility box.

When plumbers are given new assignments, they are somewhat reluctant to start out on the job with a dirty brush. This is true becouse if the brush is dirty, the points formed with the solder paste in the case of copper joints or those formed with a pipe-joint cement in the case of iron fittings in the manner specified, often leak. To avoid leaking joints, the plumber sometimes uses a stick to apply the solder-paste when the brush is dirty to form the copper joint or a pipe-joint cement to form the iron joint. When a wooden stick is utilized, however, to apply the solder paste or pipe-joint cement, a considerable amount of such sealing means is wasted and the results are not entirely satisfactory. It is therefore usually necessary for the contractor to supply the plumber with a new brush or preferably two new brushes, one for applying the solder paste in preparing a copper joint and the other for applying the pipe-joint cement in forming an iron joint. If only one brush is provided, it may be utilized in applying a solder-paste in forming a copper joint and may then be used without cleaning to apply the pipejoint cement in forming an iron joint. When the brush is utilized to apply the pipe-joint cement first in forming an iron joint, it must be cleaned, however, before it can be utilized in applying a solder paste in forming a copper joint. When means are provided for keeping the bristles of the brush clean in accordance with my invention, how ever, two brushes may be provided, one for applying the solder paste in preparing copper joints and the other for applying the pipe-joint cement in preparing iron joints because in such case the bristles of the brushes will not become contaminated with filings, dirt and other refuse and may therefore be utilized for an indefinite period of time.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a plumbers brush that may be utilized by a plumber in the usual maner to apply a solder paste to one end of a clean copper pipe and to the interior of a clean copper fitting to provide a copper joint which brush is provided with a tubular member or sleeve that surrounds the usual stem of the brush and which may be gripped by the index finger and the thumb of the plumber during the application of the solder paste and which is movable .to cover and protect the bristles of the brush after the solder paste is applied but before the brush is thrown by the plumber in his utility box.

Another object of the invention is to provide a plumbers brush that may be utilized by the plumber in the usual manner to apply a pipe-joint cement to the exterior threads of one end of an iron pipe to form a joint when the pipe is threaded into the interior of an iron fitting and which brush is provided with a tubular member or sleeve that surrounds the usual stem and which may be readily grasped by the index finger and thumb of the plumber during the application of the pipe-joint cement and which is movable to cover and protect the bristles of the brush after the pipe-joint cement is applied but before the brush is thrown by the plumber into his utility box.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of my improved brush showing the sleeve in a position to protect the bristles of the brush with part of the sleeve being shown broken away and in section over a portion of that area in which it engages the stem;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing the sleeve in a position to expose the bristles of the brush; and

FIG. 3 is a view with the parts at right angles to their positions as shown in FIG, 2 and with the lower portion of the stem and sleeve broken away and parts of the sleeve being shown in cross section over a portion of the area in which the sleeve engages the stem.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, my improved brush comprises a stem 8 which is round over most of its length but has a flattened upper end portion 9 for holding the bristles lit in place which flattened portion extends over a substantial area and serves to limit the outward and inward movement of the sleeve 111. In a like manner, the upper portion of sleeve 11 is flattened as indicated by the numeral 12. When the sleeve is in the position shown in FIG. 2 it may be utilized to apply a solder paste to the exterior of one end of a clean copper pipe and to the interior of a clean copper fitting or it may be utilized to apply a pipe-joint cement to the threaded end portion of an iron pipe prior to the threading of the iron pipe into an iron fitting. In the application of the solder paste or the pipe-joint cement, the fingers of the plumber may be applied to the stem below the sleeve or the index finger and the thumb may engage the sleeve and the remainder of the fingers may be applied to the stem. After the solder paste or pipe-joint cement is applied, the sleeve is pushed upwardly to a position in which the upper end portion of the sleeve covers the bristles at which time the ends of the flattened end portion 12 of the sleeve engages the flattened portion of the stem over the area indicated by the letter A in FIG. 1 of the drawing which prevents further upward movement of the sleeve.

When it is desired to again use the brush, the sleeve 11 is pushed downwardly to a position in which the sides of the flattened portion 12 of the sleeve engages the side portions of the stem as indicated by the area B in FIG. 3 As shown in FIG. 3, the upper portion of the sleeve as it extends downwardly to the Area B is flared outwardly but to a less degree than the stem is flared outwardly and consequently when the flared portion of sleeve 12 reaches the Area B, the side portions of the sleeve engage the stem and prevent further downward movement of the sleeve. In assembling the tool shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the bristles 10 are inserted in one end of the stem and the stem is flattened by a hammer or vice over a considerable area. The sleeve is then inserted over the stern and its end 12 is flattened over a substantial area as shown in the drawings.

It will be noted that my improved brush is entirely free from springs and consequently it may be constructed at low cost. It is also free from side openings or slots in which filings or other refuse or dirt may accumulate and prevent the free sliding movement of the sleeve and when the sleeve is moved to the position shown in FIG. 1, only the extreme outer end of the sleeve is open. The sleeve in my improved brush is therefore effective in preventing the bristles of the brush from becoming contaminated with filings, dirt, or other refuse.

What I claim is:

A plumbers brush including a tubular stern and bristles, with the adjacent end portions of the bristles extending a short distance into the upper end of the stem which end portion is flattened to hold the bristles in place and the opposite end of said stem being substantially round and having a portion extending between its upper flat portion and its round portion which tapers outwardly, a tubular sleeve surrounding said stem and having an upper flattened end portion which is slidable over the upper flattened end portion of said sleeve and around said bristles to protect the bristles and the solder paste or pipe joint cement thereon from contamination with filings, dirt and other refuse when the brush is not in use and said sleeve having a lower round portion which engages the ends of the flattened portion of the stem to limit outward movement of said sleeve and said sleeve having a portion between its upper fiat portion and its round portion which is tapered outwardly but at a less degree of inclination than the stem is tapered outwardly between its flattened end portion and its round portion so that during downward movement of the sleeve the opposite sides of the tapered portion of the sleeve will frictionally engage the opposite tapered sides of the stem to limit downward movement of the tubular sleeve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 267,256 Crane Aug. 20, 1878 2,485,822 Goldrich Oct. 25, 1949 2,485,823 Goldrich Oct. 25, 1949 2,728,257 Pochobradsky Dec. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,840 Sweden June 23, 1941 1,087,110 Germany Aug. 18, 1960 

